It’s rivalry week with Iowa, so the Gophers are going to be edgy

It’s hard to quantify, but an added edge seems to protrude the week the Gophers play Iowa for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy.

Head coach P.J. Fleck is routinely effusive in his praise of Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz. That, too, shows up during rivalry week.

On Monday, Fleck called Ferentz: “one of the greatest college football coaches of all time,” and held up how the 28-year veteran is among the coaches who has evolved “the most” amid the sport’s changing dynamics.

The respect for Iowa comes through, but Fleck’s 1-8 record against Ferentz’s Hawkeyes since 2017 appears to surface in other ways. Or, perhaps, it’s lingering angst from the blowout loss at Purdue despite a bye week in between.

Through the first half of the season, the Gophers’ running game ranks 117th in the nation (3.66 yards per carry), while Iowa’s run defense is fifth (2.5 per rush). It’s among the reasons why No. 15 Iowa (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) is a 5 1/2-point road favorite over Minnesota (4-2, 2-1). Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium.

In his weekly press conference Monday, Fleck was asked about points of emphasis in the U’s running game.

“Consistency,” Fleck said.

Fleck often says that term, so he was pressed on how to achieve it.

He then listed more-specific areas for improvement — from the tailback’s path on certain runs to winning at the line of scrimmage, and from breaking tackles to making proper adjustments at the line and so on.

The topic soon turned to what quarterback Drake Lindsey’s needs to focus on.

“If I say ‘consistency,’ are you guys (going) to turn off your cameras?” Fleck asked reporters.

Unprompted, Fleck then gave a more detailed answer, which emphasized taking care of the football.

But that initial answer serves as an example of how things are a little more tense during Floyd week.

Last year, Lindsey threw three interceptions that directly turned into 14 points in a 41-3 loss to the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. That rivalry game was over early; the Hawkeyes led 17-0 after the first quarter and 31-0 at halftime.

In September, between the Mississippi State and Akron nonconference games, Lindsey volunteered a detail about that Iowa loss 12 months ago.

“I was attempting to do too much, and that is why I felt I had some turnovers that game,” Lindsey shared Sept. 16. “I was forcing the ball when I didn’t need to.”

Lindsey had six total interceptions in 389 attempts across 13 games last season. This year, he has five picks in 196 throws in six games.

“Our job is always to put him in position where he has a chance to be the most successful quarterback he can be,” Fleck later told the Pioneer Press. “We’re playing really good teams and really good defenses. I mean turnovers happened to every single person every week for the most part. It’s how you respond to that, and I’ve been proud of his response to that.”

Fleck also used the bye week to remind his players they remain a 4-2 team.

Their path to six wins and bowl eligibility includes a combination of games against ranked opponents and/or rivalry games. After Iowa, Minnesota goes to No. 6 Indiana (6-1, 3-1), hosts No. 9 UCLA (6-0, 4-0), travels to Penn State (3-4, 0-4), has a home game with No. 24 Northwestern (5-1, 2-1) and at Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1).

That, too, might cause some fretfulness inside the Larson Football Performance Center.